A prospective claimant must contact Acas in accordance with the early conciliation rules before bringing an employment tribunal claim. If both parties agree, Acas will provide a free conciliation service, with the aim of reaching an agreement.
Settlements reached with the help of Acas are binding; the agreement will be in "full and final settlement" of the claims and the claimant will not be able to pursue the matter further.
Acas can also conciliate on a claim after tribunal proceedings have been commenced, and certain types of claim can be decided under the Acas arbitration scheme, as an alternative to the tribunal.
The materials and information included in the XpertHR service are provided for reference purposes only. They are not intended either as a substitute for professional advice or judgment or to provide legal or other advice with respect to particular circumstances. Use of the service is subject to our terms and conditions.